“Success is a decision, not a gift.”- Ben Bergeron
CROSSFIT GAMES
15-Year-Old Jeremie Jourdan: From Elite Gymnastics to CrossFit Games Champion
Jeremie Jourdan was a rising gymnastics star by the age of 12. He likely would have been on track to be professionally successful in the space, but COVID stopped him in his tracks.
It turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the now 15-year-old, who was already struggling with burnout issues. He turned to CrossFit in the fall of 2020 and says he knew he wanted to compete from the second he found out it was an option.
His coach, Isaiah Figueroa from CrossFit Turlock, was thinking something similar.
Figueroa knew from the first day Jourdan walked into the gym that he was special–of course, the gymnastics-focused AMRAP that day didn’t hurt his case–but over the first few weeks, the teen’s work ethic started to stick out more than his natural talent.
He recalls one specific instance where, in typical 13-year-old boy fashion, Jourdan ran hot out of the gates for a timed one mile run. Figueroa kept up with him and when Jourdan started to run out of gas, he encouraged him to push through it. Where most people would either slow down or stay at the same pace, Jourdan sped up and ended with a sub-seven minute mile. The perseverance is what showed Figueroa that he had true potential.
“It was that day where I called my friend who was coaching with me at the time and I said that if he sticks with it, I think we have a Games athlete,” Figueroa said. “It’s one thing to have the skill and endurance and be strong, but I think what anyone who competes in CrossFit comes to is that it’s really the mental toughness.”
That mental toughness came in handy this year at the Games when, after day one, he had racked up second, fifth, and tenth place finishes. As the number one seed coming into the Games from Age Group Semifinals, this was not the place he expected to be. He says that a few bad reps cost him Helena, but he set his eyes on the events yet to come.
Jourdan: “I was definitely the most proud of (myself) after the first day, I had a pretty bad judge and I got last place in the event, a bunch of no reps. I was just proud of myself that I stayed mentally strong and didn’t give up, just came back the next day and did my best.”
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🎤 Hot Seat Q&A: Tomorrow, August 30 at 11 AM MT, key individuals from Operation Underground Railroad will be available on a livestream to answer your questions about their fight against human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Remind me: Operation Underground Railroad runs a non-profit affiliate, CrossFit O.U.R. in Utah and uses it to run fundraisers for the organization.
👟 👟 Good Read: Check out this shoe review by the Morning Chalk Up’s own, Gabby Kassel, featured in SHAPE Magazine online. She reviewed 25 pairs of shoes and got input from CrossFit coaches and athletes to determine which shoes are the best in a variety of categories, from “Best Overall” to “Most Versatile” and everything in between.
🚨 New Doc Alert:Core City CrossFit Kids is a non-profit after-school program created by Helen Taylor in 2021 in the heart of Detroit, MI. The program uses CrossFit to teach kids the value of hard work, discipline and self control, and will be featured in a new documentary soon.
ICYMI: Greg Glassman, Dave Castro and Robb Wolf to speak at RevitaFest this fall.
CROSSFIT GAMES
MEMBER EXCLUSIVE
What Was “Missing” from the 2023 CrossFit Games and How It Affected The Leaderboard
There has been quite a bit of discussion about the events, both included and left out at this year’s Games.
Some argue that this year’s programming did not accurately test for the Fittest on Earth while others say it was one of the most well-designed years to date.
In this article, we will review some of the events and modalities that were not included at the Games this year along with our thoughts on how this affected the final placings for the athletes.
We will also include some commentary from Emily Beers’ interview with 2023 fourth Fittest Man on Earth, Brent Fikowski to see what his conclusions were after he reviewed the events of the weekend.
Three Back-To-School CrossFit Event Themes to Bring Your Community Together this Fall
As summer starts to wind down, kids aren’t the only ones heading back to class.
As the temperatures start to drop and beach vacations come to an end, thousands of CrossFitters start to return to the gym with a more consistent schedule.
One big thing: With so many CrossFitters returning from their summer hiatus, this time of year also serves as a fantastic moment to draw the community back together.
While it might be difficult to rally a group on a summer weekend, the fall marks the perfect time to think outside the box (both literally and figuratively), as to how you can create valuable community experiences for your members.
Today, we’ll talk about three different themes of community events that you can use at your own affiliate.
1) Fitness Outside the Box: While the core of CrossFit is, of course, functional fitness within the walls of the affiliate, the original mantra of CrossFit preached that one must “regularly learn and play new sports.”
It is this objective that one can utilize to craft unique experiences for members to gather outside the context of a CrossFit class. Here are some examples of fitness outings that you can organize for your members.
Rock Climbing: Rock climbing is perhaps one of the most translatable sports to CrossFit.
The pulling strength, grip strength, and body awareness required for the sport merges eloquently with the gymnastics elements of CrossFit.
Just look at 2023’s Fittest Woman on Earth, Laura Horvath, who has a significant background in rock climbing.
Reach out to your local bouldering or rock climbing gym and see if they offer group discounts for day passes.
Even better, see if they would be willing to offer a class specifically for your members for an introduction to climbing.
Hiking: A sport that requires both agility and endurance, rally your members for a local hike to see the scenery and get their bodies moving on a weekend rest day or after a workout.
To find a trail near your affiliate, utilize an app like Strava or AllTrails.
Be sure that you are selecting a route that is doable for most, if not all members of your affiliate.
By utilizing an app like Strava or AllTrails, you can see the difficulty levels, as well as the vertical feet of the climb before you head out.
AllTrails also allows you to read reviews of the routes to determine the best direction and get tips from hikers who have completed the route before you.
Spend the Weekend with Jason Leydon, Chris Hinshaw, Kelly Starrett and more!
Calling all coaches! Join us Oct. 21+22 in Milford CT for the first annual North East Coaches Summit. Learn from industry leaders in a weekend full of insightful seminars, networking opportunities, and expert panel discussions. Elevate your coaching game and gain valuable knowledge.
Peep YETI’s new colorways including their Cosmic Lilac and Camp Green for colorful coolers, drinkware and more! We are loving the Rambler 35oz Straw Mug (because sometimes you just need a straw) and the Camp Green Hopper Flip® 18 Soft Cooler. Check out these products and more!
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